Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/224481 
Year of Publication: 
2020
Series/Report no.: 
IWH Discussion Papers No. 16/2020
Publisher: 
Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), Halle (Saale)
Abstract: 
This paper investigates the critical role of culture for economic recovery after natural disasters. Using Hurricane Katrina as our laboratory, we find a significant adverse treatment effect for plant-level productivity. However, local religious adherence and larger shares of ancestors with disaster experiences mutually mitigate this detrimental effect from the disaster. Religious adherence further dampens anxiety after Hurricane Katrina, which potentially spur economic recovery. We also detect this effect on the aggregate county level. More religious counties recover faster in terms of population, new establishments, and GDP.
Subjects: 
natural disasters
plant-level productivity
religion
recovery
JEL: 
E23
E32
Z12
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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